Beer-faucet



(No Model.)

T. F. MCDONALD. BEER PAUGET.

No. 464,318. Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. MCDONALD, OF WVATER BURY, CONNECTICUT.

BEER-FAUCET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,318, dated December 1, 1891.

Application filed April 25, 1891. Serial No. 390,377. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. MCDONALD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Beer-Faucets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in faucets for drawing ale, beer, and similar beverages, but more particularly does it appertain to a seat or bushing adapted to connect with the barrel or keg and to contain, hold, and support the faucet proper through which the liquid is to be drawn.

It is the object of my invention to provide a seat which may be inserted andretained in kegs having draft-openings of various sizes, which shall have means for the insertion and retention of the faucet, and shall be so arranged in relation to said faucet as to permit the plug or bung of the cask to be driven in after the faucet is connected in position for drawing; and with these ends in view it consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter to be fully explained and then recited in the claim.

In order that those skilled in the artto which my invention appertains may fully understand its construction and method of operation, I will describe the same in detail, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section showingmy improved faucet and seat in operative connection with a keg 5 Fig. 2, a face view of the body of the seat; Fig. 3, a detail side elevation of the inner endof the faucet and showing the packing-ring thereon; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the split sleeve or bushing; Fig. 5, a face view of the part shown at Fig. 4.

Like numerals denote the same parts in all the figures.

The body of the device for retaining the faucet consists of a tubular casting, preferably of brass. Upon its outer surface,which shown at 4:, to receive the squared end of the faucet. At its larger end it is provided with internal screw-threads 5.

6 is the faucet, whose inner end is tapered at 7 to correspond withthe internal taper of the body and squared at 8 to fit the recesses just described. Internally this faucet contains a plunger 9, extending inward to the inner end of the faucet. This plunger passes through a stuffing-box 10 and is surrounded by a spring 11, which, by engagement with a packing-shoulder 12 on the plunger and an internal shoulder of the faucet, keeps said plunger normally thrown outward, but permits it to be driven inward by a blow applied to its outer end. The faucet just above its squared portion is provided with an encircling packing-ring 13, of soft rubber or leather.

14 is a bushing made in two complementary sections. Said sections are provided with an interlocking lug and recess 15, as appears at the detail side elevation,and the circular portion of the bushing is screw-threaded, as seen at 16, to co-operate with the internal screwthreads in the body. The internal diameter of this bushing is such as to closely encircle the body portion of the faucet.

17 is the head of the keg, and 18 is the plug or bung.

In the operation of my invention the screwthreaded body is first screwed into the taphole of the keg, the plug,which fills said hole, being gradually forced inward thereby, but not to such an extent as to permit the escape of the contents. The faucet, whose body is encircled by the soft-rubber packing-ring, is then inserted. The two-part bushing is then placed around the faucet, the lug and recess bringing the threads true, and 'said bushing is then screwed tightly into the outer end of the body in such manner as to expand and flatten the soft rubber packing-ring, and thereby make a tight joint to prevent leakage. The parts being thus assembled, the plug closing the tap-hole is then driven inward by a blow delivered upon the projecting end of the plunger, whereby the contents of the keg is afiorded free ingress to the faucet, by.

which it may be drawn as required.

When it is desired to remove the faucet after the keg or barrel has been drained, it is not necessary to remove the two-part bushing; but the faucet and its seat may be unscrewed utterly from the keg, to be separated later and inserted in a new keg in the manner heretofore described.

I claim as my invention- In a device of the character described, the combination, with the body tapered within and without and externally screw-threaded and provided with a squared seat at the end of the taper, of the faucet externally tapered and provided with a squared portion to fit the squared seat, a two-part screw-threaded bushing having means of connection between the parts and adapted toenter the screw-threaded outer end of the body, and an elastic expansible packing ring surrounding the faucet above its squared portion and adapted to be upset by the inward movement of the bushing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. MCDONALD. Witnesses:

WILsoN H. PIERCE, W. P. J ARRETT. 

